Homecoming
by Yamadori
Summary: Blue Dragon Anime. Takes place after Season 2. After the final battle, Shu returns to Talta Village to settle a few things.


**Well, I finally came up with a new Blue Dragon story. I know I should probably be working on the stories I have going, and the ones on the planned stories list on my profile, but... I've had this idea for a long time, and after getting a little inspiration after watching Episode 50 of Season 2, I thought I might as well write it out. Also, it provides some closure to the fight that I've been alluding to (Chapter 1 of **_**War Stories**_** and Chapter 4 of **_**Shu and Kluke: Precious Memories**_**). I don't know how Episode 51 is going to end on, but this takes place right after it. Actually... This would be the ending for any story that I work on that mentions Shu and Fushira's fight. I know that it's probably kind of sappy... But I like it, so I'm not going to worry about it. :) And I hope you guys like it, too. With that, read and (hopefully) enjoy.**

**Note: There are light spoilers for Episode 50, but not anything big enough to need a warning.**

**Note 2: For those who haven't read Chapter 3 of _Shu and Kluke: Precious Memories_, Tsubasa, Hibiki and Taichi are the three friends who are with Shu in Season 1. In order from biggest to smallest, they are Taichi, Tsubasa and Hibiki.**

He brushed his fingers over the trunk of a tree as he walked up the forested hill. It had been so long since he'd been here.

He was nervous, to say the least. Looking death in the face for both his friends and himself had toughened him a little, but that didn't make what he was going to do any easier. One kind of problem had been traded for another.

As he started to get closer, he could hear that familiar ringing in the air - the sound of a hammer hitting metal. Both longing and anxiety built up inside of him. So hard to do...

The forest opened up into a familiar clearing. There it was - his old home, looking the same as it always had.

He walked around to the side, and... There he was, hammering on some kind of object (it was too early in the process to tell what it was). He took a few steps until he was to the side of him, then purposely stepped on a twig to get his attention.

His head snapped up. "Shu?"

He responded with a smile that was small and sad. "Hey, Ojiichan."

Fushira took him by surprise a little when he dropped the hammer; his work was something that was important to him. Then again, he had every reason to be surprised.

"What are you-"

"Wait a minute," Shu interrupted. He swallowed, then began to plow through. "Ojiichan, I'm sorry. When we fought... I said some things that I shouldn't have said. Bad things. I was... Well, I was more than out of line. I understand that you probably don't want to see me right now, and maybe you never want to see me again. But, I needed to come and apologize. Even if you don't forgive me, I needed you to know that I'm sorry." His throat had started getting tight at the end - and that wasn't just from talking so long - but at least he could feel a little proud with himself that he'd been able to say it.

Fushira stood, silent, looking at him with a stunned face.

Shu looked down at his feet. "I know I shouldn't have come... But like I said, I thought that you should know. It was too hard not to tell-"

He cut off abruptly as Fushira pulled him into a tight hug.

"Shu... I'm the one that's in the wrong."

"What?" Shu's voice was a little muffled.

"I was too angry, and what I said was worse than what you did," Shu started to argue this, but Fushira quickly interrupted. "It was worse, if it made you this afraid to come back. I was angry... Angry about a lot of things." Fushira chuckled a little, then spoke with a warmth that Shu had dearly and truly missed. "I guess this old man just let his emotions get the better of him."

Shu responded in a laugh that was a single breath out, finally letting his tears fall.

* * *

Hibiki tried to stifle a yawn - he was big now, and big kids didn't go to bed before ten o'clock at night. He comforted himself with the fact that ten was only two hours from now, and then he wouldn't have to try and stay awake anymore.

"What do you think made that thing in the sky?" Taichi commented, mostly to himself.

For three days, there had been a blue streak in the sky. None of the boys knew what it was - it had just shown up all of a sudden, a little while after all of the golden light had pierced through the clouds, followed by burning Rosenkreuz airships. So many odd things... What was happening?

"Maybe Aniki made it." Tsubasa said softly.

Both boys looked at him like he'd lost his mind, followed by Taichi saying, "What?"

"It's just... When Aniki summoned his Shadow, the blue light that appeared was like the blue light in the sky. If Aniki didn't cause it, then maybe it has something to do with him." He looked down. "Maybe it means he's coming back soon."

Taichi sighed a little. "Tsubasa... we already talked about this."

Tsubasa clamped his hands over his ears, scrunching his eyes shut. "And I don't want to hear about it anymore!"

"Tsubasa, he isn't coming back!" Hibiki yelled at him.

Tsubasa stood quickly, staring determinedly at the glowing blue, trying to ignore the building tears in his eyes. "I know Aniki is going to come back some day. I just know it."

"Tsubasa, don't be ridiculous!" Hibiki stood to meet him. "Aniki is not coming back, not _never_!"

"Oh, really?" Tsubasa gasped at the new voice - it was a little deeper since the last time he heard it two years ago, but he still knew it well. "I guess I must be imaginary, then."

"Aniki!!!" Shu barely had time to blink before Tsubasa had catapulted himself into Shu's chest, sending them both to the forest floor.

As Tsubasa sobbed against Shu's shirt, and Taichi started to tear up himself as he held onto Shu's arm, Hibiki started hopping around all over the place as he began asking, "Did you get all of the bad guys, Aniki? Is being a soldier as cool as being a Knight Master? Are you the one that made that blue streak in the sky?"

Shu closed his eyes, his voice filled with humor as he said, "Oh... Maybe."

Hibiki stopped moving back and forth, but he was still jumping around. "But, you're going to tell us the whole story, right?"

A very familiar twinkle lit up in Shu's eyes. "C'mere. I'll tell you the whole thing, from beginning to end."

Hibiki plopped down next to Shu. "Can you start back when you first got your Shadow?"

Shu chuckled a little. "Oh, if I'm going to tell you the whole thing, I'm going to have to start a lot further back then that."

A shooting star swept across the sky, through the blue streak. "This story starts a long time ago, back near the beginning of time... This story of Blue Dragon..."

**Well, that's all. Again, I know it's a bit sappy, but... *shrugs* So... Review if you can. I can reply to it, so feel free to ask about anything. :) Oh, there was one thing that I forgot to mention. I'll probably put this note in some of my other stories, too... Anyway, I'm considering becoming a beta reader, but I'm not sure if I should. I mean, there's no reason **_**not**_** to, and it seems like it might be kind of fun. So, if you could tell me what you think about that in your review (if you review), I would greatly appreciate it. That's all I need to mention. Thanks for reading! :D**


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